


Protective

by Star55



Series: Ruby Verse [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Girl Direction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:46:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22854190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star55/pseuds/Star55
Summary: There’s some fallout after Ruby comes on stage at Harry’s concert that makes her question her parenting skills.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: Ruby Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650382
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	Protective

**Author's Note:**

> **Note:** This is a _direct_ sequel to **[Stage Presence](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22122751)**
> 
> I wrote this a few weeks ago after I received an anon on my tumblr but misinterpreted what they wanted. But I thought I'd post it anyway.
> 
> This has not been betaed by anyone other than myself, so if you find any mistakes, please, kindly, point them out. ♥

“Fans were given quite the surprise last night at your O2 show. Was that planned?”

Louis glances at the screen of the television and as she watches Harry shake her head. She’s in the dressing room with Ruby, waiting for Harry to finish up her interview. 

“Not at all,” she replies. 

“The fans absolutely loved it,” the interviewer says – Louis can’t exactly place his name right now. 

Harry smiles. “They’re a good bunch.”

A quick glance down at Ruby reassures Louis that she’s fine, and she turns her attention back to the screen, just in time to hear the interviewer’s next question. 

“There has been speculation that having your toddler on tour with you is not the best thing. What do you think?”

“I think that I always put my family first,” Harry replies tactfully. “My home is here in London, and my wife and I thought it would be nice for our daughter to come and see where her mum works. My nine to five may be a little different to someone else’s, but it is still work.”

Pride surges in Louis’ chest at Harry’s answer. 

Even though they’ve been doing this for a long time now, and Harry has been doing this on her own, it still makes Louis pause and just be _proud_ of her wife.

“Do you think it’s irresponsible of you to bring your two year old daughter on tour with you?” 

Ice runs in Louis’ veins at the question. She frowns at the screen where the camera is now focused on Harry’s face. 

“Do you have children, Colin?” Harry asks.

Colin nods. “I do.”

“Have you ever brought them to work?”

“…I have,” Colin replies. 

“And you don’t think it’s irresponsible to bring your children here? That this is an unconventional work environment?” Harry says.

“I think it’s a _bit_ diff-”

“There are plenty of hazards around here,” Harry interrupts. “There are lots of wires, plenty of people around, and there are lots of places for children to hide or get lost here. What makes _this_ place safer than where I work?”

“Well, I don’t travel the globe like you do,” Colin replies.

“I don’t appreciate the insinuation that I would do anything to put my family in harm’s way,” Harry beings. Colin starts to interrupt, but Harry just keeps talking over him. Louis is _so proud_ of her. “To even suggest that just shows you have _no_ idea what lengths a mother would go to protect her children. To talk over me while I tell you my side is just rude, and it tells me that you’ve already made up your mind.

“This interview is over.”

Louis abruptly stands. She glances down at Ruby, who is happy playing with her toys, and a moment later, the dressing room door opens.

To anyone else, Harry would just look normal. But Louis knows she’s moments away from exploding.

“You were incredible,” Louis says. 

Harry looks up at her. Her expression softens. “Can we go home?”

“Of course, love.”

Harry squats down next to Ruby while Louis gathers their things. 

Louis can hear commotion in the hallway, and she figures Harry’s manager is out there trying to diffuse the situation. Louis knows that if it had been _her_ , she would’ve put Colin in his place without as much tact as Harry. 

There’s a knock on the door and Louis goes to answer it but stops as Harry’s voice reaches her before she touches the handle.

“I am not accepting any further questions,” Harry says simply.

“I wouldn’t expect you to, love,” Louis replies. She opens the door.

It takes a few minutes, but after Louis steps out into the hallway, she deals with the fallout from Harry’s interview – stating that _no_ , Harry will not be accepting any more questions, and that she’s lucky that Colin doesn’t go in there and give him a piece of her mind.

She’s not as feisty as she used to be when she was younger, but Louis still speaks her mind, and she doesn’t let people push their narrative onto her, like Colin was trying to do to Harry.

With a sigh, Ellen, Harry’s manager, rubs her temples. 

“She’ll be expected to do a follow up at some point,” Ellen says. 

“Don’t count on it,” Louis replies. “Look. I know what the media is saying. Harry isn’t the first mum to get these kinds of questions thrown at her, and she probably won’t be the last, but I’m going to protect her from this bullshit as much as possible. She gives her heart and soul to both our family, and her work. People need to be a little more respectful of that.”

“You don’t need to tell me this,” Ellen says.

Sighing, Louis leans against the wall. “I know,” she replies. “I’ll talk to her. Maybe we can figure out what she needs to do next.”

With a nod, Ellen opens the door behind Louis. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says to Harry, who is sitting on the floor, playing with Ruby.

Harry just nods her reply.

“Take care,” Ellen says to Louis, squeezing her hand briefly before letting go.

“C’mon, love,” Louis says as she steps into the room. “Let’s go home.”

When they’re back home, Louis busies herself giving Ruby her lunch while Harry frowns at her phone.

“Love,” Louis says softly. “Look at me.”

Harry’s green eyed gaze meets hers. 

“Put the phone down and ignore everything for the next hour,” Louis says. “You don’t need to spiral right now.”

A sigh escapes Harry, but she turns her phone off completely and puts it face down on the table. She gets up, kisses Louis’ shoulder, and goes to turn on the kettle.

Louis sits opposite Ruby in her high chair, and she makes sure that all of her food is within reach. 

By the time Ruby has finished eating, she’s yawning. Louis cleans her up and gets her ready for her sleep. She kisses Ruby’s warm cheek and covers her with her favourite blanket, making sure her frog teddy is tucked in next to her. Thankfully, Ruby falls asleep much easier than she did last night. Louis picks up the baby monitor and joins Harry in the kitchen, where she’s leaning against the counter, her cup of tea in her hands.

“Talk to me?” Louis asks simply.

“Do you think I’m a bad mother?” Harry asks.

The question throws Louis so much that she physically steps backwards. “Absolutely not. Not even in a billion years would I consider you a bad mother.”

A complicated expression crosses Harry’s face. Louis closes the distance between them. 

“Love?”

Harry sighs and sets down her mug on the countertop behind her. “…It is irresponsible of me, isn’t it? To drag you and Ruby on tour with me.”

It makes Louis so _frustrated_ that these things get to Harry. She crowds into Harry’s space, putting her hands on her hips.

“H,” Louis begins. “We talked about this. _At length_. And we decided that we’d do this as a family. Lou did it with Lux and she’s _fine_. She’s better than fine. That kid is completely normal, and our Ruby will be, too.

“You have done amazing things – _incredible_ things – to make sure that this tour is as accommodating for Ruby and me as possible,” Louis continues. “Your shows aren’t as close together as they used to be. You’re making sure that you’re getting proper rest, and you’re making _certain_ that everyone respects your boundaries.”

Harry’s lips quirk upwards ever so slightly. “I know. I just.” She sighs heavily, dropping her head onto Louis’ shoulder. “I worry.”

“Which makes you a great mum for that alone,” Louis replies. She strokes over Harry’s back the way she loves it. Harry relaxes against her. 

Louis pushes the fabric of Harry’s shirt up so she can touch her skin, letting her hands roam up Harry’s smooth back. Harry’s breath is warm on Louis’ neck, and her lips press against the pulse point for just a moment.

The fact that Harry is worried about this because of what happened makes Louis so mad. She’s so hurt for Harry because Harry only ever wants to do the right thing for their family.

“Say the word and I’ll cancel the tour,” Harry says, her voice muffled by Louis’ neck.

“Not happening,” Louis replies. “It doesn’t need to be cancelled. It’s going to be great – the entire thing.”

She pulls back enough to look at Harry and kisses her softly on the lips. “I love you,” she says purposefully. “And so does Ruby. This is the best for all of us. You _know_ this, Harry. Don’t let some comments from people with too much time on their hands get to you. Only you and I know what is best for our family. We’re the _only_ ones whose opinions count.”

Even though Louis can tell Harry isn’t completely convinced, her lips curl into a small, soft smile. 

“I love you.”

Their lips meet again, a chaste kiss that Louis hopes brings comfort to her wife.

She’ll spend forever telling Harry how incredible of a mum she is. Though she knows she won’t have to – the proof is already there as far as Louis is concerned.

**Author's Note:**

> hi again. if you've got this far, i hope you enjoyed this fic. ♥  
> please leave me a comment if you liked it. i love comments so very much a lot. ♥  
> criticism, constructive or not, is not welcome.
> 
> rebloggable post on my [tumblr](https://star55.tumblr.com/post/190973639196)


End file.
